The Fire
by Thegoblinqueen1998
Summary: Erik holds Christine to her choice to be with him, and things aren't as awful as one may see so. Rating may or may not go up. ALW's movie version. DISCLAIMER: Rights to Gaston Leroux and ALW
1. The Letter

**Authors note: this was a short drabble that I most definitely am going to continue after this chapter. This is my first phantom fanfic, so please be as easy as possible. I hope you enjoy!**

**p.s. I don't own anything; all rights go to Gaston Leroux and ALW. **

"_Dearest Christine, _

_I am writing you to inform you that I shall be coming to get you quite soon. You chose ME, Christine. I shall hold this choice of yours till your dying day. You WILL be with me. I'm sorry it must work out that way if you do not like it, but there's not much more that I can say. _

_You and I shall wed in three days time in a small church just on the outskirts of Paris. Afterwards, we are to stay at an inn not too far from there, but far enough away so your little De Changy boy doesn't come running after you. You shall be known as Madame Christine Destler, henceforth, my wife. You shall address me as Erik, for that is my name if you didn't know before (you never asked, you see…)_

_I shant force you to make love with me that night, but if you do not object or do not mention beforehand that you do not wish to take part in such activities, I shall not hesitate taking what is rightfully mine to take. After that night, we will depart on horseback and ride to the coast, where we will board a passenger ship moving vastly to England. We shall be heading to the outskirts of London in a cottage that I have purchased, where we shall lay low for quite some time before we have enough to have our own manor bought and built. _

_This letter will be delivered to you by Madame Giry, or as I know her, __Antoinette. I expect no trouble. My definition of trouble would be Parisian police, your fop, or hesitation towards you on any part. If I see anyone try and stop me, I shall murder them on sight. _

_I will arrive at 7:30 on your balcony and expect to be seeing you there. Do not bring much clothing, only the necessities to last for three to five days and items that you hold dear to you. _

… _I love you Christine Daae. I hope you do not hate me too much for this._

_I promise that you will be happy… eventually. I shall make sure of it. _

_Your friend, teacher, angel, and soon to be husband, _

_Erik."_

Christine's hands shook, making the parchment she was holding flutter gently to the ground.

"I am so sorry, my dear… is there anything I can do?" Madame Giry rushed to hold her tightly.

"No, but thank you. In fact, I believe I should be happy." Christine smiled in the arms of Madame Giry.

"How so? Do you not love Raoul?" Madame Giry asked surprised.

"Of course I love Raoul…" Christine replied gently, without fear. "…But not the way I thought I did. I cannot learn to love him in any way more than a friend. I can, however, learn to love Erik… hmm… Erik. Such a handsome name."


	2. The Thought

_**Sorry for the longest wait on the update! Here ya go! **_

_**~GQ**_

The patio was Christine's favorite place during a warm autumns afternoon like this one. The wind made it nippy, but tolerable enough to sit outside without her cloak. It was a Tuesday, only two days after she'd gotten the letter from Erik. He'd be coming to get her on the Thursday of this week.

Christine wondered about what she was getting herself into with Erik. Would he be sweet and gentle, or rough and heartless? Cold and intolerable, or understanding and honest? Would he… love her, or would he not?

All thoughts were forced out of her mind when Raoul came swiftly through the doors to the back patio.

"There you are, my lovely!" Raoul's tone was joyous and happy. "I have just been invited to the Anniversary Ball the viscount of Italy has every year. I must leave for Rome at once and I shall not be returning until Saturday. I am allowed to bring one guest; would you do me the honors?" He held her hands with his, kneeling next to her in exciting anticipation.

Christine forced a bright smile with a hint of regret in her facial expression. "Raoul… I regret to inform you that I've been sick and would much rather stay here than leave for Rome. I never liked Italy much, and I want to spend more time here getting used to the surroundings."

Taken aback, Raoul made a hasty nod; more of a worried one. But he didn't question Christine's motives and shook his head in reply, kissing her lightly on the cheek. "Very well then. I shall be returning Saturday evening, are you sure you can't go? I don't want anything happening to you."

"I promise, Raoul…" Christine insisted him to believe. "If anything goes wrong, I'll send for you. I promise. Now go on, you don't want to miss it."

Raoul made the move on, and for the rest of her afternoon and evening, she didn't spot him again until he left in his finest carriage, heading towards Italy.

Christine made it in her best interest to get some reading done. Books always seemed to take her mind off of very important matters, such as disappearing on Thursday with a man she barely knew.

But… honestly… did she really barely know him?

She forced all thoughts out of her head once more, for her mind was straying again.

…but what if she really did misjudge him? What if she knew more about him than she thought?

She slammed the book down onto the floor and fled to her chambers. She needed sleep.


	3. The Rain

_Erik_

He knew that things like this could not be rushed, yet he also knew they could not be done in the rain.

Thunder in the distance made it difficult to concentrate on sneaking into the De Changy Manor. Lightning distracted him; the musky scent of rain worried him, and the fact that it was to storm worried him even more so. He knew that Christine was fragile and easy to get sick, so he did his best to go as fast as he could.

His steed, Caesar, was waiting for him outside of the garden walls; their key exit. He knew of a back door that the guards did not know of, which meant it was not on watch.

Erik exhaled in annoyance, waiting for the guard to disappear. When he finally did, Erik wasted no time. No one noticed the cloaked, masked man slip into the gates and disappear into the darkness of the Manor.

_Christine. _

A medium sized suitcase and two hat cases lay by her feet. The suitcase with dresses and nightgowns that were necessary for the days she was to be traveling. One of the hat cases with personal belongings and two small and modest hats in the other.

She had told the servants and maids that she was to be left alone no matter what happened. She was frightened, more than anything. She didn't know what he'd be like.

Christine looked up as she saw a flash of lightning and heard a loud crash of thunder. She loved the rain more than anything. It soothed her anxiety and cleared her voice to sing.

Another flash, but not from lightning. At her balcony, there was the faint silhouette of a man dressed in black. She could see the outline of his half mask on his face.

"It's been too long, Christine…" the deep, baritone voice gently growled to her.

Her eyes widened; she had been right. This was Erik. "Hello, angel…" she acknowledged him, signaling his welcome to come it.

He emerged from the light, the masked side of his face being most visible. She saw him look to her feet. "Is this your luggage?" he said, sounding appalled.

"Well, yes," she replied gently. "I have no suitcase of my own, and I found this covered in dust in the Library. I didn't think anyone would mind if I used it." She spoke as she always did, feeling more relaxed.

Erik nodded. "We shall get you a new, bigger one. One that you like."

"This one is just fine, Erik…"

Erik shuddered at the sound of his name rolling off of her tongue. She said it with such ease and trust; he wondered if she knew his name before he told it in his letter. "It would be my pleasure," he tried to sound normal, but he choked the words out. "To buy you a new one. Please, let me do this."

Christine noted that he was trying to show kindness, and accepted his generous offer. "Yes, Erik, but this one will have to suffice for now." He grunted in reply. A few silent minutes passed before he spoke again.

"Well, my lady… shall we leave?" Erik held out his hand, expecting her hand in reply. Christine took his hand and rose from the bed she was laying on. "Yes."

Erik nodded awkwardly and picked up her two hat cases. "My god, Christine," he said as he picked them up. "Does one of these have rocks in it?" he tried to joke and she complied by laughing gently. She picked up the suitcase, signaling her readiness for departure.

"How are we going to get down with my things?" she thought aloud.

"Simple," Erik replied shortly. "We throw the suitcase down into the bush below your balcony, and I go down first. You drop the hats and I will catch them so they do not damage."

Christine agreed and they got this done as quickly as possible, since they were in the dark and a storm was coming. They hurried to the back of the house, doing their very best to not be seen. When they exited and got outside of the garden walls, Erik mounted Christine first onto Caesar. She held her luggage in her lap, shivering at the cold wind blowing.

Erik did not forget to notice that she was cold; after all, she was only wearing a thin dress. He hastily took off his cloak and put it on her, making her warm again.

The smell of Erik's cloak was divine, and she was glad he was trying to be kind to her. She smiled at the thought of him being kind, and thanked him gently. He only nodded in reply of her.

As he mounted the horse behind her, she shivered a bit from the close contact he was sharing with her. Erik noticed this as well, but dismissed it. Soon, they were riding to the church where they were supposed to be wed; as he wondered what she was thinking, she wondered what he was thinking, too.

Both of them shook the thoughts away as the storm drew nearer.


	4. The Wedding

The church was adequately dark aside from one lit candle. The pastor was there, along with Christine and Erik. While he wore his normal attire, she wore a simple white dress and the veil from the night of the fire… the night of Don Juan Triumphant… the night she left him…

"You are my lover and my teacher; you are my model and my accomplice, and you are my true counterpart.  
I will love you, hold you and honor you;  
I will respect you, encourage you and cherish you, in health and sickness, through sorrow and success,  
for all the days of my life." Christine spoke quietly, reciting her vows in flawless monotone voice, slipping the ring Erik had made onto his finger.

Erik took her left hand, and said, "You are my lover and my teacher; you are my model and my accomplice, and you are my true counterpart.  
I will love you, hold you and honor you;  
I will respect you, encourage you and cherish you, in health and sickness, through sorrow and success,  
for all the days of my life." He slipped the ring upon her slender fingers, careful not to break her slender form with his rough hands.

She felt herself smile brightly, something she hadn't expected to do. Looking at the ring on her finger, she noticed the initials _E.D. _engraved in the sides next to the small ruby pendant in the middle. She looked upon his plain silver ring, noticing for the first time the _C.D. _in the same place the ruby was on hers. Her mouth fell open, in awe of his effort to make this work.

He smiled gently to her, saying, "I made them myself… It could go either way with mine; Christine Daae or Christine Destler… whichever you prefer, dearest."

She stood there in the chapel with the slightest smile creeping on the corner of her pink lips. "Erik… I want to thank you… for making these experiences as easy as possible for me… it means a lot."

He smiled in return and kissed her hand gently. "Shall we depart?"

She nodded; no turning back now. "Of course, I'd like that very much.

_**A/N: I KNOW THIS IS SHORT! PLEASE forgive me! **_

_**It's been a rough couple of months. Here it is though! :D **_


End file.
